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Husbandry and hygiene conference

In December 2004, the Amphibian Research Centre hosted a workshop/conference
concerning husbandry and hygiene in amphibian conservation. The official
title was:

Captivity, Reintroduction and Disease Control Technologies for Amphibians

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss current tools for conservation
and to develop a set of guidelines for use in reintroduction and conservation
programs.

Conference content

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Itinerary / Programme

The first two days was spent addressing husbandry, reintroduction and
cryopreservation techniques. The last two days of the conference focused
on current disease and hygiene issues.

If you're interested in seeing what was covered, the programme for the four
days is available for download.

Conference proceedings

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Rather than distill the content of the conference into short
abstracts and publish them in some kind of journal, the original presentations
have been converted into a web-based form so that you can relive the conference
in the comfort of your own home.

The speakers' topics take the form of slide-based presentations complete
with accompanying audio. We have made great effort
to keep the filesizes to a minimum but this section may be better appreciated
by those people with broadband connections due to the high level of audio
content. The slides are also designed for viewing with monitors at resolutions
of 1024 x 768 or greater.

Gerry Marantelli - Around the world in 18 days

A whirlwind tour of husbandry institutions and reintroduction programs
being carried out in the USA, the UK, and Japan. With a quick stop-over
at Gerry's brother's European wedding.

Murray Evans - Northern Corroboree Frog

The plight of the Northern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi)
is not far removed from that of the Southern Corroboree Frog. Murray
Evans, of Environment ACT, tells us of the captive husbandry program
dedicated to the conservation of this beautiful species.

David Hunter - Southern Corroboree Frog

The Southern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) is one
of Australia's most spectacular and most endangered frogs. David Hunter
of the University of Canberra introduces us to some of the re-introduction
experiments that have taken place in an attempt to save this species
and what we have learnt from them.

Michael Mahony - Sharp-snouted Day Frog

Prior to the discovery of the chytrid fungus, an attempt was made to reverse
the rapid decline of the Sharp-snouted Day Frog (Taudactylus acutirostris).
The recovery program was carried out as a controlled experiment in order
to determine the cause of decline.

Chris Banks - Romer's Tree Frog

A fully-photographic captive breeding and re-introduction success story.
The Romer's Tree Frogs (Chirixalus romeri) were transported from
Hong Kong to Melbourne Zoo, bred in large numbers, and returned to sites
near their
original
home. All reports indicate that they are now breeding happily
in the wild.

Russel Traher - Stuttering Barred Frog

Also from Melbourne Zoo, Russel Traher presents the captive-breeding program
of the Stuttering Barred Frog (Mixophyes balbus). The Zoo developed the
program using trials over many years with the closely-related but more
common Mixophyes fasciolatus.

Peter Harlow - Tadpole captive husbandry and
release

A discussions of the techniques and the considerations for the successful
raising of tadpoles in captive husbandry for the purpose of re-introduction
projects. With a focus on the example of the Green and Golden Bell Frogs
(Litoria aurea) being raised at Taronga Zoo, the first presentation
discusses the husbandry while the second presentation discusses the success
or otherwise of releases around Sydney.

Simon Clulow - Green and Golden Bell Frog re-introduction

Simon Clulow, studying at the University of Newcastle, has been involved
in the re-introduction of Green and Golden Bell Frogs (Litoria aurea)
in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Of particular interest is the
controlled environment that was created through the use of a frog-proof
fence.

Glen Gaikhorst - Slender Tree Frog

Glen Gaikhorst reports on the Perth Zoo's successful efforts in breeding
the Slender Tree Frog (Litoria adelaidensis) in captivity. The Slender
Tree Frog's distribution covers the south-west of Western Australia where
it is a common species.

Peter West and Todd Jenkinson - Archey's Frog

The Auckland Zoo has constructed a new exhibit/enclosure that is dedicated
to the conservation of the species of frogs that are endemic to New Zealand.
Peter West and Todd Jenkinson introduce us to the first of the NZ frogs
to benefit from the program - Archey's Frog (Leiopelma archeyi).

Bruce Waldman - Protecting native NZ frogs

The frogs of New Zealand are unique in many ways and have found themselves
in one of the hotspots for amphibian species decline. Learn about these
magnificent creatures (and the equally-magnificent introduced species
from Australia) and about how the University of Canterbury is striving
to save
them, with a focus on the captive breeding program.

Robert Browne - Tales from the USA

From the Memphis Zoo, Robert Browne tells us of his involvement in
captive-raising and re-introduction programs. The first presentation
discusses in general how programs operate in the USA (making comparisons
with Australia) and considers 3 very different species (Wyoming Toad;
Mississippi Gopher Frog; Puerto Rican Crested Toad). The second
presentation focuses on the Wyoming Toad (Bufo
baxteri),
a species that had been declared extinct in the wild, and casts
a practical light on how genome technologies could be used in this type
of
program.

Michael Mahony - Introduction to genome banking

An introduction to the genome banking session. What is genome banking?
Why do we need it? Is it just science fiction? What are the issues that
surround it? Presented by Michael Mahony of the University of Newcastle.

John Clulow - The real-world genome bank

The University of Newcastle's John Clulow continues the discussion of
genome banking featuring the ideal-world genome bank and the real-world
genome bank. This presentations looks at the costs, the practical uses,
and the near-future uses of this technology.

Jill Shaw - On the subject of cryopreservation

Perhaps the major stumbling block to amphibian cryopreservation is the
inability to freeze eggs - something that is possible in most mammal
species. Monash University's Jill Shaw describes the state of the technology
with
reference to mammals and discusses what advances may be possible in order
to improve the preservation of frogs material.

Tasha Czarny - Experience with a genome resource bank

The Animal Gene Storage Resource Centre of Australia (based at Monash University)
differs from the
Australian Biological Tissue Collection in that it attempts to store
viable material (ie. eggs and sperm) from animals rather than simply
preserving DNA.

Michael Mahony - Conservation genetics

Captive-breeding and gene storage techniques may be able to save some individuals
of a species from extinction but it can also lead to loss of genetic
diversity. Here, the consequences of inbreeding depression are discussed
and the ways to minimise the inbreeding. This presentation also acts
as a conclusion to the session on assisted reproduction.

Rick Speare - Chytrid threat abatement plan and hygiene protocols

Rick Speare of James Cook University presents a series of presentations
concerning the establishment of chytrid in Australia
and how it affects amphibian researchers. The first presentation details
the development of the threat abatement plan
for this
"threatening process". The second presentation documents a series
of very practical experiments investigating how easily or not chytrid
is transferred when handling objects while the third presents practical
hygiene protocols for use in the field.

Katie Ardipradja - Resistance to Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis

See the results from one of the most fascinating investigations into the
chytrid fungus. Katie Ardipradja of Melbourne University studied the
effect of chytrid on different frogs at the Amphibian Research Centre
and their resistance to it, showing that
"not all
frogs are the
same".

Lee Berger - Disinfection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

A fascinating update on the chytrid fungus by the person who first described
it featuring results from experimentation on conditions required to disinfect
it. Unfortunately, the audio for this session was not recorded. However,
there are plenty
of facts contained in this
presentation and some magnificent
pictures of the fungus at several stages in its life cycle.

Lee Berger and Gerry Marantelli - Treatment for chytridiomycosis

Lee and Gerry give us a short history of the successes and failures in
the search for a cure for chytridiomycosis. Some frogs have been cured
of the disease but is there a treatment that can be guaranteed
effective, preferably one that is easy and cheap?

Kerry Kriger - Comparing histology with real-time taqman PCR

A comparison of different techniques for detecting the presence of the
chytrid fungus. Taqman PCR can be carried out in the field while histology
requires sending some biological material to a laboratory. How do the
techniques compare in terms of sensitivity, cost, and standardisation?
Unfortunately, the audio for this session was not recorded.

Ermin Sadic - PCR used for rapid detection of chytrid in NZ frogs

A tale of PCR in practice. Ermin Sadic, based at the University of Canterbury
in New Zealand has used PCR techniques to analyse many samples. His studies
have led to several conclusions regarding the incidence of chytridiomycosis
in New Zealand.

Alex Hyatt - Diagnostic assays and sampling

Another presentation from the unfortunate "lost session" so no
audio accompanies this slide-show from Alex Hyatt of the CSIRO that introduces
us to some of the considerations in deciding upon a standard
method for field sampling
for chytridiomycosis. There's plenty of information to be found in the
slides though, and some valuable pictures. Don't be concerned if you
can't make out all the details in some of the tables here, they are used
only to illustrate the kind of information that has been collected.

Jill Millan - Quarantine requirements for amphibian importation

Jill Millan, Principal Veterinary Officer with the government's
Biosecurity Australia, details the procedures and the precautions that
are involved when a request to import any species of amphibian from oversea
is made.

Lee Skerratt - Establishing a mapping protocol for chytridiomycosis

The chytrid fungus has become established in Australia. But which parts
exactly and which frogs are affected by it? Based at
James Cook University, Lee Skerratt is responsible for developing methods
for a co-ordinated approach in finding the answers to all these questions.
The first presentation discusses the development of a mapping protocol.
The second presentation, without audio, simply presents the seven objectives
of future research that JCU has been funded to carry out.

Harry Hines - Quarantine at field sites

Harry Hines of the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service reads
through a series of slides presenting suggestions and considerations
for the development of a nationally-accepted system of hygiene protocols
for field work. Includes a consideration of risk factors.

Ed Meyer - The critically-endangered Kroombit Tinker Frog

Ed Meyer introduces us to the plight of the Kroombit Tinker Frog (Taudactylus
pleione). A discussion of the field-based precautions that are in
place to allow the study and monitoring of the frog while minimising the
risk of the introduction and spread of disease.

Deborah Pergolotti - The chytrid trilogy

Based in Cairns, Deborah Pergolloti of the Frog Decline Reversal Project
was unable to attend the conference but she prepared three self-running
presentations for the conference delegates. The first
is "Keeping
chytrid controlled in captivity", the second is "Reducing the
impacts of chytrid in the suburbs", and the third (with the most pictures)
is "Chytrid:
just the tip of the iceberg?" suggesting that perhaps there is too
much focus on this disease when there may already be several more equally
terrible diseases in our midst.

What's next?

Keep visiting frogs.org.au to learn of the outcomes of the conference. The
recommendations will be published here in the not too distant future.

Additionally, there will be development of a husbandry and hygiene database
featuring information on publications, institutions, processes, and people
involved in this important work.

To ensure that you learn when this new material is published, join the frogs.org.au
Community and sign-up for the frogs.org.au e-newsletter.

The first step

The beginning of the husbandry and hygiene database is the publication collection.
It is currently being compiled and checked for errors.

The records are available
for browsing. While we hope also to add more valuable
information to the existing records, such as abstracts or "availability
of document", they are mostly complete and accurate. At the moment it
is made accessible largely for testing by content managers (a new "login" feature
allows managers to remotely access the database and add or edit entries)
but you are welcome to take a look at the current development.